MANCOSA highlights how education inequality is weakening South Africa’s STEM pipeline and limiting future skills, innovation and digital competitiveness.
Category: South Africa News
South Africa News
Has Digital Marketing Become Too Optimised to Be Memorable? Why Creativity Still Matters in the AI Era
As AI and performance marketing reshape digital advertising, are brands becoming less memorable? Nicole Glover, Executive Creative Director – Digital at Penquin, argues that the industry’s obsession with optimisation and short-term metrics—not artificial intelligence—is driving creative sameness. Discover why balancing data with emotional storytelling is essential for long-term brand growth and marketing effectiveness.
Exxaro’s 37% Road Cost Premium Could Squeeze South Africa’s Manganese Export Margins Despite Rail Reforms
South Africa’s manganese exporters may face growing margin pressure as Exxaro reveals that road transport costs 37% more than rail, with nearly half of Tshipi Borwa mine’s export volumes still transported by truck. EBC Financial Group says expanding port capacity alone will not improve profitability unless rail access increases, lowering inland logistics costs and strengthening export competitiveness.
Refreshi Helps South Africans Save R12.5 Million While Rescuing 200,000 Meals from Landfill in One Year
South African food-tech startup Refreshi has helped consumers save R12.5 million on groceries while rescuing 200,000 surplus meals from landfill in its first year. The company’s Grocery Savings Impact Report highlights rapid nationwide expansion, significant environmental benefits, and growing adoption of its circular economy marketplace, which connects consumers with discounted surplus food from supermarkets, restaurants, bakeries, and cafés across South Africa.
Embassies Business Fair & Conference 2026 to Connect African Businesses with Global Buyers, Investors and Trade Opportunities
The Embassies Business Fair & Conference 2026 returns to Pretoria on 8–9 September, bringing together embassies, investors, buyers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to accelerate international trade and investment. With a strong focus on AfCFTA, market access, business matchmaking and export opportunities, the event aims to help African businesses expand into regional and global markets through practical economic diplomacy.
South Africa has too many ways to pay and not enough ways for consumers to understand them. Will these make Cards extinct?
South Africa’s payments landscape is evolving rapidly, with digital wallets, PayShap, QR codes, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), and instant bank transfers expanding consumer choice. However, widespread adoption remains constrained by limited consumer education, trust, and operational complexity for merchants. This article explores why payment cards continue to dominate despite the rise of alternative payment methods and explains what the industry must do to drive meaningful digital payment adoption.
The risk of AI tunnel vision in IT efficiency
The risk of AI tunnel vision in IT efficiency explores why focusing solely on AI’s energy consumption overlooks the much larger challenge of improving efficiency across the entire IT estate. As data centre power demand rises in South Africa, organisations must adopt an end-to-end approach that optimises infrastructure, cooling, software, workloads, and data management. The article argues that sustainable IT efficiency is achieved by designing energy efficiency into every layer of traditional and AI infrastructure, enabling greater resilience, lower costs, and scalable digital transformation.
Bridging South Africa’s Media Skills Gap with Industry‑Backed Learning
The Advertising Media Association of South Africa (AMASA), in partnership with the AAA School of Advertising, has launched an updated Media Management Competence Certificate to address South Africa’s growing media skills gap. Combining industry-led training, practical learning, and a newly developed media planning textbook, the four-month hybrid programme equips professionals with the strategic, digital, and analytical skills needed to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. The initiative supports the development of future-ready media talent as brands, agencies, and media owners adapt to increasingly complex consumer and technology trends.
Coface: Could a new inflationary shock cause lasting damage to African economies?
Coface highlights how Middle East tensions and disrupted supply chains could trigger a new inflationary shock, affecting African economies unevenly. Oil importers face rising inflation, while commodity exporters may benefit from higher prices amid slower global growth forecasts.
South Africa Risks Turning BNPL into a Credit-Exclusion Trigger without Fairer Scoring Rules
South Africa risks turning Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) into a credit exclusion trigger if scoring systems fail to properly interpret short-term instalment data. Experts warn that integrating BNPL into traditional credit models could unfairly lower credit scores for responsible borrowers, particularly younger and lower-income consumers. Regulators have paused BNPL data integration as concerns grow over financial inclusion and scoring accuracy.